This is unusual, but incredible, in a weird way. The Science Barge is a sustainable urban farm powered by solar, wind, and biofuels, and irrigated by rainwater and purified river water. It’s a mobile illustration of growing food in the city with no pollution or carbon emissions. Check the solar panels and small wind turbines. I’m thinking this is another illustration of the savvy behind solar and wind power for residential use. Via Archidose.

This is the Espace Mobile hailing from Salzburg, Austria. According to the website, the interior and exterior is fully customizable, with the shell made of spruce wood and aluminum metal sheeting. Like many pre-fabs, the price doesn’t include land, foundation, connection or set-up fees, or transportation. Nonetheless, it’s designed to be affordable, mobile, and environmentally friendly. I think all that depends on how you customize and specify construction. See fact sheet.

"F2" is short for "Flickr Friday," a weekly short posted on Friday with an image from Flickr and a quick description. Feel free to email me your F2 ideas.

Let’s face it, less is more. What you see is the micro compact home, aka m-ch, which is a 76 sf home designed by Richard Horden, a professor at Technical University of Munich (TUM). m-ch was designed to meet the growing demand for short-stay living. I think Horden’s on to something. Right now, there’s a horde of 7 m-chs that TUM students and staff occasionally stay in. But there’s also a 16-unit village of m-chs being developed for a site near Vienna, Austria.

What’s great about the m-ch is its high-tech design. It’s all geeked out with the latest in electronics and technology. Future models plan to use solar panels and horizontal-axis wind turbines to make the home self-sustaining. For $96,000 (delivery + installation anywhere in Europe), you get a sliding table for 5, two 7.5 foot beds, shelves and drawers, an electrical systems control panel, bathroom and shower, and a kitchen with a microwave, fridge/freezer, sink, waste unit, and work surface. For a quick jaunt and a little fun, what more could you ask for? Via Wired. Cool images below the fold.

Starting in December 2007, Hotel Terra is going to add itself to an exclusive list of green hotels operating in the United States. The Terra Resort Group (TRG) is developing this hotel for the market niche that desires luxury + sustainability. The Jackson Hole offering, which is going to be LEED certified, will be the first of 12-15 eco-boutique resort hotels that TRG plans to build by 2015. Hotel Terra is going to have every luxury one would need in a resort stay: spa + fitness center, ‘Terra Living Room’, rooftop hot tub, two restaurants, and a snowboard/ski rental shop. Also, guest rooms will have a Bose speaker setup, flat screens, and free wireless.

Green Features:As far as the LEED features are concerned, Hotel Terra is going to be decked out pretty good: 100% recycled "Eco Shake" roof shingles; low-VOC carpets, sealants, paints, adhesives, etc.; personalized, energy-efficient heating and cooling zones; radiant heating on the bottom level to minimize direct heat loss and energy use; air quality and moisture filtering technology; Energy Star windows with low-E coating; water saving features such as dual-flush toilets, low-flow water fixtures, waterless urinals, and native landscaping; rainwater capture and runoff mitigation technology; chemical free cleaning and laundry products used in the hotel operations; hotel design to maximize internal exposure to natural lighting; 80% recycled content steel in the building structure; 50% construction waste reused or recycled; wind power used for 35% of electricity purchased by Hotel; and heavy reliance on renewable or recycled building materials such as bamboo, crushed glass, and seatbelts.

I’ve blogged about two other green hotel matters, Starwood’s 1 Hotel and Gaia Napa Valley Hotel. I have a feeling that Hotel Terra is going to have a leg up, assuming the absence of another market shock-type event like 9/11, on the other groups that are thinking about leveraging a serious green hotel brand. I’m also thinking I may have to take a quick jaunt up to Jackson Hole next December, since I’m going to be in SLC starting in May. Nice.

This is the K1 from kitHAUS, which is a prefab company based in Van Nuys, California. The K1 is 289 sf and costs around $59,000. kitHAUS has a series of modules that can be paired (or not) to create a small weekend retreat, backyard office or study, or gigantic residence. Plus, it can be off-grid or grid-tied with the optional solar setup, depending on your tastes.

"F2" is short for "Flickr Friday," a weekly short posted on Friday with an image from Flickr and a quick description. Feel free to email me your F2 ideas.